Process of refining oil



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. SMITH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PROCESS OF RE-FINING on...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,437, dated December28, 1897.

Application filed February 13,1897.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of' Ohio,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Refining Oil,of which the following is a specification,the principle of the inventionbeing herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The following description sets forth in detail one mode of carrying outthe invention, such disclosed means constituting but'one of various waysin which the principle of the invention may be used.

My invention has for its object refining crude petroleum or distillatesthereof; and it consists in a process or method of treatment hereinafterdescribed.

The process may be applied to the refinement of any of the numerouspetroleum distillates, but is especially adapted for refining oilscontaining sulfurous compounds, such as are found in the Lima districtin Ohio, Canada, (to. The sulfurous compounds and other refractorysubstances contained in said oils if not eliminated or subdued causeduring combustion disagreeable odors and deposit deleterious matter onthe wicks, thereby reducing the candle-power of the lamp and the valueof the oil.

The oil or distillate to be treated is introduced into an ordinary oilstill or retort, such as is used in the usual process of refining oil,and there is then added to it spirits of turpentine in the proportion ofone gallon of spirits of turpentine to every five hundred gallons of theproduct to be treated. When neutral or heavier distillates are used,rosin may be substituted with advantage for spirits of turpentine in theproportion of three pounds of rosin to every eleven hundred gallons ofdistillate. The turpentine or rosin havin g been added to the distillatethe mixture is heated until the temperature reaches a point immediatelybeyond which distillation of said mixture begins-that is, to atemperature just below the point where distillation begins.

The turpentine or other substance may be introduced into the distillateeither before or after it is heated or while it is being heated,

Serial No. 623,299. (No specimens.)

but I prefer to introduce it before the temperature is raised to aconsiderable degree- The liquid is then allowed to cool, so that it canbe handled with safety, and is then pumped into agitators and treated inthe same manner as is employed in the treatment of ordinary Pennsylvaniaoilthat is, as follows:

After removing the distillate from the still it is introduced intoan'agitator and subjected to abath of sulfuric acid, the mixture beingagitated by blowing air theretlirough. The acid is then drawn oif andthe above operation repeated until no further effect of the acid on thedistillate is noted. The distillate is then washed with water blownthrough it in the same manner as was used to agitate the mixture of acidand distillate. This substantially removes the excess of turpentine,rosin, or other vegetable substances heretofore introduced into themixture. After drawing off the water a small quantity of sodium hydratein solution is introduced into the distillate and neutralizes any smallamount of acid that might remain behind after the acid treatment. Liquidammonia may be substituted for the sodium hydrates.

Terpenes and their oxygen derivaties other than above stated may be usedwith more or less satisfactory results.

It should be understood that I can use the fair equivalent of thesubstance .terpene, and I include as an equivalent for said substanceany oxygen derivative thereof, and hence whenever terpene appears in anyclaim I hereby include as an equivalent thereof any hydrocarbon havingthe common formula (0 11 or any oxygen derivative thereof.

In this specification I use the word turpentine in its broadsignification to include not only the turpentine of commerce, but alsoto include, broadly, the exudations obtained from all trees of the orderof coniferae. This term then includes not only rosins, but also liquidhydrocarbons, mixtures of both of which exude as oleoresinous juice fromthe bark of the trees belonging to the order of coniferae.

The proportions above stated may be varied, and other modes of applyingthe principle of my invention may be employed instead of the oneexplained, provided the step I the oil or distillate to be refined,subjecting the mixture to a temperature below the point of distillation,removing terpene, whereby the oil or distillate is rendered amenable tofurther treatment, substantially as set forth.

3. In an oil-refining process the following steps: introducing into theoil or distillate to be refined spirits of turpentine, or any one of theherein-named equivalents thereof, subj eating the mixture to heat,removing turpentine or equivalent substance, whereby the oil ordistillate is rendered amenable to further treatment, substantially asset forth.

.4. The process of treating oils for the elimination of sulfurouscompounds, which consists in the application to the oil or distillate tobe refined, of heat, and of a substance characterized by the formula (OH or any oxygen derivative of said substance, removing (O Hgln or saidderivative, whereby the oil or distillate is rendered amenable tofurther treatment, substantially as set forth.

5. The process of refining refractory oils, consisting in theintroduction into the oil or distillate to be refined, of a terpene,subjecting the mixture to-a temperature immediately beyond whichdistillation begins, permitting it to cool to a point ofsafety,subjecting it to a bath of sulfuric acid; after removal of the acid,washing with water, neutralizing any residue of acid therein,substantially as set forth.

6. A series of steps in refining refractory oils, consisting inintroducing into the oil or distillate to be refined, a terebinthinatesubstance, subjecting the mixture to heat, re moving terebinthinatesubstance, whereby the oil or distillate is rendered amenable to furthertreatment, substantially as set forth.

7. In a process of refining oils containing sulfurous compounds, thefollowing steps: introducin g into the oil or distillate, from which itis desired to remove or in which it is desired to subdue the sulfurouscompounds, an oleoresinous substance or its product, subjecting theresultant mixture to a temperature approximating the point ofdistillation, removing the oleoresinous substance or its product,whereby the oil or distillate is rendered amenable to further treatment,substantially as set forth.

8. A step in a process of refining oils containing sulfurous compounds,consisting in introducing into the oil or distillate to be refined,exudations of the coniferze or products thereof, heating the resultantmixture, allow ing it to cool to the point of safety, removing therefromsaid coniferous exudations, whereby the oil or distillate is renderedamenable to further treatment, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 12th day of February,

WV. A. SMITH.

Attest:

LUTHER A. ROBY, A. E. MERKEL.

